Naomi Faroogh’s church in Markham, ON, had been an Operation Christmas Child shoebox drop-off location for many years, but when the church’s long-time Operation Christmas Child volunteers decided to step aside, the church’s role was in danger of ending.
That’s when Naomi, 24, felt called by God to step into the gap. She had visited a southern Ontario shoebox processing center and knew about the tremendous world-wide impact of this ministry. So she emailed the church’s pastor for more information. Soon after, she was selected as a year-round Connect volunteer in charge of logistics.
Logistics coordinators mobilize short-term volunteer teams and coordinate shoebox collection at drop-off locations. They welcome the public to the centers and create a warm, positive environment for people dropping off shoeboxes. In this way, logistics coordinators are at the heart of ensuring shoeboxes are collected, prepared, and sent to processing centers for inspection.
“Naomi came on board last spring, learned the ropes, gathered a team, and did an amazing job at coordinating everything,” said Sherri Petrovich, the area’s Operation Christmas Child regional manager.
Naomi appreciates the opportunities her role provides to connect with her community.
“I had one person come to our collection center who didn’t attend church, but wanted to get involved,” she recalled. “So I said ‘come tomorrow; we need help.’ And she did.”
Naomi said serving as logistics coordinator for her area “has helped me to grow. It taught me leadership skills and communication skills and how to lead with a servant heart.”
These are among the reasons she believes enthusiastic Operation Christmas Child supporters should consider becoming Connect volunteers.
“You have the opportunity to be a part of something God is already doing. I get to be up close and see how the ministry works. There’s so much that goes on that you don’t see when you limit yourself to packing shoeboxes.”
Please donate $12 for every shoebox you prepare. Your donations will help cover project costs, including shipping (make one combined donation for multiple shoeboxes). Consider making an additional donation to help Samaritan's Purse go beyond the shoebox and expand assistance to children, their families, and their communities. Samaritan's Purse does not provide receipts for the value of gift items included in a shoebox.